ANC division continues

The split in South Africa’s ruling African National Congress is gaining momentum as former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota continued his fight by calling a rally at Orange Farm, a vast informal settlement — that is an ANC stronghold — south of Johannesburg last week.

Last week’s rally was a first testing of the waters for Lekota, nicknamed â€œTerror” for his attacking expertise on the football field. This comes only a few days before the national convention at which their new political party will be launched. LIEZL MACLEAN reports.

The build-up rally to the national convention saw Lekota supporters wearing yellow and white T-shirts printed with photographs of Lekota’s face and the words, â€œSouth African National Congress”. On the back of the T-shirts, the words â€œReady to govern and Save South Africa from tyranny” appeared.

Posters with slogans, including â€œBring back ANC from warlords”, â€œMalema a danger to democracy”, â€œWe are not dogs, we only hate crime and corruption”, and â€œBring back the Scorpions”, were being handed out.Lekota told the crowd he expected ANC members to quit in â€œbig numbers” in support of a breakaway party. â€œThe people will form their own party,” Lekota said when asked whether he was saying a new opposition party would be formed.

Only a few hundred supporters of his plans to hold a national convention in Bloemfontein showed up at the meeting at Orange Farm. He blamed the low turnout at his rally on intimidation. He preached tolerance, saying his supporters should not retaliate.

â€œIf they say you are dogs, don’t call them dogs. Those of you who were in the ANC and have T-shirts of the ANC, you must not burn them,” he said.

But it seemed the supporters of ruling party leader Jacob Zuma had been outside the Orange Farm venue before Lekota’s organisers. At least 30 posters with pictures had been put up on a fence outside the venue and supporters of Zuma toyi-toyed and chanted â€œKill Shilowa, kill Lekota”.

Ousted Congress of SA Trade Unions president Willie Madisha said the protesters had been organised to disrupt the public meeting and cause violence. â€œUnless something is done, we are going to get involved in very serious violence in this country. We have got to say that this is wrong. We cannot allow this type of thing,” said Madisha.

The national convention on the 2nd of November has now been moved from Bloemfontein (the birthplace of the ANC) to Pretoria due to â€œlogistical reasons”.

Co-convener Charlotte Lobe denied that the change of venue was informed by apparent threats by some politicians to sabotage their plans. â€œIt was just about accommodation; we could not find enough places to accommodate (delegates) in Bloemfontein,” Lobe told The Pretoria News.

Zuma vowed earlier this year that his party would â€œrule until Jesus comes back”, but now he appears to be taking the new challenge seriously as moves by the ANC to prevent plans by dissidents to lure members into a breakaway party, appear to be failing as more defect to the yet-to-be- launched party.